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December 2008 was warmer and drier than usual. The monthly mean temperature of 18.4 degrees was 0.6 degrees above normal. The monthly total rainfall of 9.0 millimetres was 25.5 millimetres below normal. The annual rainfall for 2008 was 3066.2 millimetres, about 29% above the normal figure of 2382.7 millimetres.
Under the influence of a ridge of high pressure over southern China, the weather in Hong Kong was fine and dry for the first two days of the month. An easterly airstream brought a few rain patches to the territory on December 3.
It was cloudy with some sunny intervals during the day on December 4. A cold front moved across the south China coastal areas that evening, bringing a few rain patches to Hong Kong at night. The winter monsoon behind the cold front brought rather cool and very dry weather to Hong Kong for the ensuing seven days. Affected by an easterly airstream, it was mainly cloudy with low visibility on December 12. It was warm with some sunny intervals on December 13.
A dry northeast monsoon reached the south China coastal areas on the morning of December 14 and brought fine and dry conditions to the territory from December 14 to 21. Under the influence of an intense winter monsoon, the weather became cold on December 22 and 23. The temperature recorded at the Hong Kong Observatory fell to 11.5 degrees on the morning of December 23, the lowest of the month. It was mainly fine and dry on December 24 and 25.
Affected by a broad cloud band over southern China, the weather became cloudy on December 26. There were a few rain patches from December 27 to 29. A cold front crossed the coastal areas of Guangdong in the afternoon of December 29. The weather in Hong Kong turned cool and rainy for the rest of the month.
One tropical cyclone occurred in the western North Pacific and the South China Sea in the month.
Details of the issuance and cancellation of various warnings/signals in the month are summarised in Table 1.1. Monthly meteorological figures and departures from normal of December are tabulated in Table 1.2.
Ends/Monday, January 5, 2009
Issued at HKT 18:46
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